MV Ocean Drover finalises unloading of sheep

September 6, 2012

Wellard advises that the MV Ocean Drover has completed the discharge of approximately 22,000 sheep.

The sheep have been discharged into a state of the art, modern, Australian designed supply chain, which is ESCAS compliant, ISO and HACCP accredited and meets World Animal Health Organisation standards.

“The quality of the infrastructure, the operating procedures employed and the oversight of veterinarians and animal welfare officers will ensure Australian and international animal welfare standards are adhered to,” said Wellard Middle East General Manager Garry Robinson.

Mr Robinson said the Australian Government had been informed all times about the issues the company had faced with its delayed discharged in Bahrain and then the alternate arrangements that were being implemented.

“The best animal welfare was achieved through confidential negotiation between all parties to ensure the smooth, orderly discharge into a modern facility run by the importer in Pakistan, with appropriate oversight from Australian Government accredited veterinarians and Pakistan quarantine officials,” he said. “This did require some sensitivity on the amount of information made public during the negotiations, however the welfare of the livestock took precedence.

“Importantly, the livestock were discharged into a supply chain which was as good, if not better, than the market we had originally intended to supply to.”

The end of voyage mortality rate on-board the vessel remained below the Australian Government specified upper limit.

Wellard is a world leader in the production and distribution of livestock and grain.

Its two largest subsidiaries are Wellard Rural Exports, Australia’s largest livestock exporter and ship owner, and Wellard Agri, a large mixed farming land owner and operator specialising in the production of grains, legumes and livestock.

Wellard Rural Exports has supplied quality dairy and beef cattle and sheep and goats to the world for more than 30 years, and its investment in the live export industry is without peer. Based in Fremantle, Western Australia, the company’s operations cover every aspect of the export chain, including feed milling, livestock aggregation, road transport, feedlot facilities throughout Australia and modern shipping.

The company’s flagship carrier, the MV Ocean Drover (formerly the MV Becrux), is a purpose-built livestock carrier capable of carrying 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle to major markets around the globe. She was commissioned in 2002.

Two new, technologically advanced, purpose-built vessels, the MV Ocean Swagman and the MV Ocean Outback, were launched in 2010. They offer unparalleled levels of safety for the livestock, crew and vessel, and can transport 7000 cattle, 25,000 sheep, or a combination of both.

Wellard Agri owns and operates eight farms covering 33,000 hectares across three agri-hubs. The two northern hubs are located at Dongara and Watheroo in Western Australia’s central midlands and one is located at Kojonup in the Great Southern region of WA.

The Dongara hub is home to The Grange, a 14,500 hectare property which is considered one of Western Australia’s blue chip farming properties.

The remaining landholding totals more than 18,000 hectares, of which 14,000 hectares is cropped to a variety of grains and legumes. The other 4000ha is devoted to sheep production, including the famous Hyfield Poll Merino stud at Kojonup. In addition, Wellard leases an additional 14,500ha for livestock and grain production.

Wellard Agri also has operations in the farm machinery sector, through management of the CLAAS Harvest Centres at Katanning, Wongan Hills and Esperance for the Landpower range of farm machinery.